-alkylamide profiling of and extracts by liquid and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

and are both plants belonging to the Asteracea family and are traditionally used for their medicinal properties. It has already been shown that some -alkylamides (NAAs) are responsible for these pharmacological actions. Therefore, in the present study, the NAA content of the two plants was analytically characterised. Different extracts were prepared from the roots, the leaves, the stems and the flowers. The structures of NAAs have been assigned in ethanolic extracts of and using high performance liquid chromatography - electrospray ionisation - mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) and gas chromatography - electron impact - mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS). Using both analytical techniques, the structures of 14 and 15 NAAs have been assigned in and , respectively. Structures of two new NAAs, previously never observed in , were assigned: deca-2E,6Z,8E-trienoic acid 2-methylbutylamide (homospilanthol) or a related isomeric compound and deca-2E,4E-dienoic acid -methyl isobutylamide. The structure of homospilanthol or a related isomeric compound was also assigned in for the first time.